Coin-controlled electric-shock machine.



Nu. ee0,539. Patented Oct 23, I900. B. m. DAVIS.

COIN CONTROLLED ELECTRIC SHOCK MACHINE.

(Application filed I). 19, 1900.)

(No M d l.) I 3 sneats sneet wrkha as 'umemsss. Patented on. 23, I900.B. m. DAVIS;

COIN GUNTBOLLED ELECTRIC SHOCK MACHINE.

(Application filed I'eb. 1 2, 1900.

E 55 E5 I Bri it- "m: mums PETERS c0. PHOTO-LITHQ, msmnawn, a. c.

Patented Oct. 23, I900. B. M. DAVIS. COIN CONTROLLED ELECTRIC SHOCKMACHlNE.

{Application filed Feb. 12, 1900.)

3 Sheats$heet 3.

(No Model.)

A Vllrllll/l/l/ll;VIlIl/IrYf/lll/l/ll/4 0 w o i i 0 UNTTET) STATESPATENT OFFICE.

BETHUEL M. DAVIS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE ADVANCE MACHINECOMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

COIN-CONTROLLED ELECTRIC-SHOCK MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 660,539, dated October23, 1900.

Application filed F bruary 12, 1900. Serial No. 4,856. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, BETHUEL M. DAVIS, a citizen of the UnitedStates,'residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State ofIllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machinesfor Automatically Vending Electrical Shocks, of which the following is afull, clear, and exact specification.

My invention relates to coin-controlled or vending machines moreespecially designed for vending electrical shocks; and it has for itsprimary object to provideimproved means whereby the coin will unlock themechanism and enable the operator to receive the current as long as thehandle or handles are depressed or otherwise actuated, but to open thecircuit and prevent it being again closed for the same coin as soon asthe handle is released, and all this without depending on theconductivity of the coin.

Another object of my invention is to lock the handle orhandles againstmovement until .a coin is inserted, thus preventing mischievous personsfrom subjecting the machine to needless wear and danger of damage.

In electrical devices employing inductioncoils it is customary to use arheostat for regulating the current and preventing a too great shock tothe user at the outset, and this is true even when a movable slide orcore is employed in the primary coil of the inductionv coil forgraduating the current; but these devices neither singly nor combinedare capable of graduating the current from a very mild current'andpractically a total absence of current to the highest or maximum currentof which the machine is capable, because the induction-coil alwaysproduces some current even when the slide is entirely withdrawn, and theemployment of the rheostat, besides being an expense, is objectionable,because when the battery becomes weak the rheostat offers too muchresistance. Hence my invention has for its further object to provide animproved form of induction-coil which will not produce any inducedcurrent at all while the full primary current may be passing through theprimary coil.

With these ends in view my invention consists in certain features ofnovelty in the con struction, combination, and arrangement of parts bywhich the said objects and certain other objects hereinafter appearingare attained, all as fully described with reference to the accompanyingdrawings, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the said drawings, Figure 1 is a view looking into the back of myimproved machine, the back of the casing being removed. Fig. 2 is a faceview thereof. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 3 3,Fig. l, the bottom of the casing being omitted. Fig. I is a detail sideelevation of the circuitclosing switch hereinafter described, showingthe same in its open or elevated position. Fig. 5 is a similar view ofsaid switch, showing it in its closed or depressed position.

Fig. 6, is a view similar to Fig. 5, but showing the position of theswitch after it has once been depressed and the handles allowed topartially rise before they are again depressed. Fig. 7 is an enlargeddetail sectional view of the lock hereinafter described for holding thehandles against movement and also preventing the switch being closed.Fig. 8 is a detail rear elevation of said lock. Fig. 9 is a detailsectional view taken on the line 9 9, Fig. 2; and Fig. 10 is a detailView of a part of the dial.

1 represents a cabinet or suitable casing in which the mechanism ishoused, and in the front of this cabinet is a dial 2, around which areindicated numbers or other signs to indicate the degree of current beingad ministered, such indication being eifected by a pointer 3, mounted onan arbor 4, which is journaled in the dial 2 at one end and in asuitable bracket 5 at the other end. On this arbor 4c is secured apinion 6, which is engaged by a rackbar 7, mounted on a cross-head 8.The crosshead Sis guided in its rising and falling movements by verticalguide-rods 9 10, secured at their upper ends in a cross-bar 11 and attheir lower ends in blocks l2 l3, and the cross-head 8 is held normallyaloof and returned to its elevated position by a pair of coil-springs14, suspended from the top of the'casing, or by any other suitablecushion, and the outer ends of the cross-head are provided with handlesor knobs l5, composed of metal or other electrical conducting material,the cross-head 8 being projected through vertical slots 16in a ceasedthe sides of the casing and the handles or knobs being for the purposeof transmitting the current to the operator, who depresses them tointensify the current, and thereby causes the rotation of the pointer 3through the intermediary of the arbor 4 and readiness to engage with atooth 21, formed on the side of a plunger 22, which is projectednormally into the coin-slot 16 at its lower end and has its upper endsecured to the crosshead 8, thereby holding the cross-head and handles15 from being depressed until the locking-dog 17 has been forcedoutwardly by the coin, which is shown at 23 in Fig. 7, the normalposition of the tooth 21 being slightly above the dog 17, so as topermit the plunger to move a sufficient distance before the tooth 21reaches the dog 17 to push the coin against the shoulder or cam 19 andproject the dog 17 beyond the path of the tooth 21. When the coin passesthe shoulder 19, it falls from the coin-slot into a drawer orcoin-receptacle 24, inserted through the front side of the casing andhaving a staple 25 on its inner end projected through a slot 26 in theback 27 of the cabinet and held by a lock 28 or other fastening device,thus serving the twofold purpose of holding the drawer from beingwithdrawn through the front and preventing the back 27 from beingwithdrawn from the rear, the back 27 being held at the upper end by pinsor dowels 29.

30 represents a solenoid or the secondary coil of an induction-coilwhich is arranged in a vertical position and has one of it's terminals31 connected to theguide-rod 10 by means of a binding-post 32 or othersuitable device and its other terminal 33 connected to the guide-rod 9by binding-post 34 or other suitable means, and the handles 15 areelectrically connected with the rods 9 10, respectively, by means ofconductors 35, while they are insulated, of course, from each other,thus placing each handle in electrical communication with one terminalof the solenoid 30 at a point throughout the height of the guiderods 10.In the base of the cabinet or casing or at any other convenient point isarranged a battery or series of cells 36, having one of its terminals 37connected to an isolating contact-plate 38, while the other terminal 39is connected to one pole of a vibrator or buzzer 40, and the other poleof thevibrator 40 is connected by conductor 41 to one terminal of ahelix 42, whose other terminal 43 is connected to a contact-plate44,carried on the cross-head 8. This contact-plate 44 is provided with apair of spring-tongues 45, which constitute a friction-hold and whichgrip a vertical rod 46, constituting a switch and adapted to impinge thecontact-plate 38 when the cross-head 8, together with the rod 46, isdepressed, thus closing the circuit from the battery 36 through thebuzzer or vibrator and the helix 42. This switch-rod 46 is guided at itsupper end by an eye 47, secured to the cross-bar 11, which eye permitsthe rod 46 to freely rise and fall at will; but bearing against therodi46 is a'catch 48, which is adapted to engage in a notch 49, formedin the upper end of the rod, and thus prevent the friction-hold 45 frompulling the rod 46 downwardly and closing the circuit through thecontact 38. When the cross-head Sis in its normal or elevated position,however, the catch 48 is held out of engagement with the notch 49 bymeans of a tailpiece 50 on the catch 48, which has a curved end, asclearly shown in Figs. 4 to 6, inclusive, adapted to be engaged by thecross-head 8 and deflected outwardly, so as to hold the catch 48 awayfrom the rod 46. Hence should it be attempted to close the circuitwithout inserting a coin the downward movement of the switch-rod 46would be prevented by the locking-dog 17; but as soon as the locking-dog17 is deflected the rod 46 may be depressed with the cross-head 8 untilit engages with the contact 38, and the springs or friction-hold 45.after that will simply slide down the rod 46; but it is obvious thatshouid the operator permit the handles 15 to rise even a slight distanceand then attempt to again depress them for closing the circuit throughcontact 38 a second time the upward movement of the cross-head 8 wouldalso cause the rod 46 to rise and bring the notch 49 therein intoengagement with the catch 48, which would hold it until thecross-headhad risen into engagement with the tailpiece 50, and afterthat had occurred it would be impossible to again depress thecross-head, because of the engagement of the notch 21 by the dog 17.

The helix 42 is also carried by the crosshead 8, and it constitutes theprimary coil of the induction-coil of which the solenoid 30 is thesecondary coil, and the helix 42 is wound upon acore 51 and supporteddirectly over the passage through the solenoid 30, so that whenthecross-head 8 is depressed the helix 42 and core 51 will-enter thesolenoid 30, and thereby constitute an induction-coil and induce asecondary current-in the coil of the solenoid, which will becommunicated by the conductors 31 33 to the handles 15 via theguide-rods 9 l0 and conductors 35. It will thus be seen that the currentwill be closed through the primary coil and vibrator and as soon as theswitch 46 engages with the contact 38; but no 'currentwill be felt inthe handles 15 until the primary coil or helix 42 enters the secondarybattery coil or solenoid 30, and as a consequence the secondary currentfelt in the handles 15 may be graduated from nothing to the maximumcurrent of which the apparatus is capable.

The armature of the vibrator is provided with a bell-clapper 52, andsecured to the cross-head 8 is a hell or gong 53, which comes intocontact with the clapper 52 when the cross-head reaches the limit of itsdownward movement and the current is at its maxim um.

The dial 3 is provided with two apertures 54, and mounted behind thedial is a disk 55, which is journaled loosely on the arbor 4 and isprovided with a ratchet-wheel 56, engaged by a spring or pawl 57,secured to and carried around by the arbor 4. \Vhen the cross-head 8 issuddenly released after having been depressed, the pawl or spring 57engages with the ratchet 56 and rapidly rotates the disk 55, whichcontinues its rotation after the crosshead 8 reaches its upward movementby virtue of its momentum, and the face of thedisk 55 is provided'with aseries of difierently-colored spots 58, arranged in line with theapertures 54, so that when the disk 55 ceases to rotate two of thesespots 55" will be opposite the apertures 54, respectively. The coloredspots 58 on the disk 55 may be made to correspond withdifferently-colored cards 59, contained in a frame 60 in the front ofthe cabinet, and each card being printed with a fortune or otherprediction, or, if desired, the printed matter may be placed directly onthe disk 55, so as to be disclosed through suitable apertures, such as54, in the dial 3.

While I have described the vibrator 40 separate from the core 57 andprovided with the bell-clapper 52, it is nevertheless obvious that thevibrator, if desired, might be arranged directly on the core 51, as isusual in induction-coils.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an apparatus for the purpose described the combination of ahandle, means for closing a circuit through said handle when the latteris moved, a coin-slot, a plunger working through said slot and connectedwith said handle and a locking-dog for said plunger having a portionadapted to be engaged by the coin for releasing said dog from theplunger, substantially as set forth.

2. In an apparatus for the purpose described the combination of ahandle, means for closing a circuit through said handle when the latteris moved, a coin-slot, a plunger working in said slot and connected withsaid handle and having a tooth in the side thereof, a dog engaging withsaid tooth and having a cam projecting into said slot in the path of thecoin and adapted to support the coin in the slot preparatory toejectment by the plunger, substantially as set forth.

3. In an apparatus for the purpose described the combination of ayieldingly-supported cross-head, a handle secured to each end thereof,vertical guide-rods on which said cross-head slides, a coin -actuatedlock for holding said cross-head against movement and means for closinga circuit through said handles when the cross-head is moved,substantially as set forth.-

L. In an apparatus for the purpose described the combination of ahandle, a friction-hold movable in unison therewith,-an electric circuithaving one terminal connected with said friction-hold, an isolatedcontact connected with the other terminal of said circuit, a switchcarried by said friction-hold and adapted to engage said isolatedcontact, a catch fixed with relation to said switch and adapted to holdthe same when separated from said isolated contact and a coin-controlledmechanism for locking said handle, substantially as set forth.

5. In an apparatus for the purpose described the combination of ahandle, a friction-hold movable in unison therewith, an electric circuithaving one terminal connected with said friction-hold, an isolatedcontact connected with the other terminal of said circuit, a switchcarried by said friction-hold, a catch fixed with relation to saidswitch and adapted to engage and hold the same, a part movable in unisonwith said handle for disen- 5 gaging said catch and a coin-controlledlock for said handle, substantially as set forth.

6. In an apparatus for the purpose described the combination of asliding crosshead having handles thereon, a friction-hold on saidcross-head, an electric circuit having one terminal connected with saidfrictionhold, an isolated contact connected with the other terminal ofsaid friction-hold, a switch carried by said friction-hold and adaptedto engage said isolated contact, and having a notch, the fixed catch 48adapted to engage said notch and having a tailpiece adapted to bedeflected by said cross-head and a coincontrolled mechanism for lockingsaid friction-hold, substantially as set forth.

7. In an apparatus for the purpose described the combination of ahandle, an isolated contact, an electric circuit with one terminal ofwhich said contact is connected, a switch movable with said handle andconnected with the other terminal of said circuit and adapted to connectwith said isolated contact, means for holding said switch out ofconnection with said contact when separated therefrom, means forreleasing the last said means and a coin-controlled mechanism forholding the last said releasing means against movement, substantially asset forth.

8. In an apparatus for the purpose described the combination of ahandle, an elec tric circuit, an isolated contact con nected with oneterminal of said circuit, a switch connected with the other terminal ofsaid circuit and movable in unison with said handle, said han dle being'also capable of movement independently of said switch, a catch forholding said switch while the handle moves in one direction, means forreleasing said catch when the handle is restored to its normal positionand a coin-controlled lock for holding said releasing means,substantially as set forth,

9. In an apparatus for the purpose described the combination of ahandle, an elec* tric circuit, an isolated contact connected with oneterminal of said circuit, a switch connected with the other terminal ofsaid circuit, means for moving said switch in unison with said handletoward said isolated contact, detaining means for holding said switchagainst movement toward said contact, means for rendering said detainingmeans inactive when the handle is locked and a coin-controlled means forlocking the handle when said detaining means is inactive, substantiallyas set forth.

BETHUEL M. DAVIS. Witnesses:

F. A. HOPKINS, EDNA B. JOHNSON.

